Dubai's Icon

Every city has a signature building, instantly recognizable by visitors from all over the world. London has Big Ben, New York the Empire State, and Dubai has the Burj Al Arab.The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat.The hotel has a stunning, signature sail shape that is dazzling white by day and used as a canvas for a rainbow of spectacular light displays at night.

It was a hectic day. Our tour guide had booked breakfast and tour of Burj Al Arab Hotel. He came around 9am to our hotel and took us to Burj Al Arab. He first gave us the tour of the hotel and then we had breakfast at “Sahn Eddar” one of the restaurants with live Arabic music to our delight. We were very happy when we saw Assam Tea in the menu. Infact we could not stop ourselves from ordering it.

At 321 meters high, the Burj Al Arab is bigger than the Eiffel Tower. The Burj offers 202 duplex suites, each with floor to ceiling windows, breathtaking views of the ocean, plasma TV, DVD player, and laptop computer with internet access. Privacy and service are second to none, no floor has more than 12 suites and personal butlers are provided.The lavishly decorated Assawan Spa & Health Club is located on the 18th floor of the Burj and offers pools, Jacuzzis, spas, massage, beauty and therapy rooms. Guests also enjoy complimentary use of extensive watersports and leisure facilities at the nearby Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Wild Wadi Water Park. This is what our tour guide told us as he took us on the tour of the hotel.

I have no words to describe this only 7-star hotel in the world. The interiors, facilities, restaurants, views…….everything are all beyond words. Just too good and sophisticated. Everything inside the hotel is gold plated. They have express lifts and within seconds you reach the topmost floor. May be some day in the future, I will be able to save enough to be able to stay at this hotel for 2-3 nights. Was just wondering what/how will be the experience of staying, when the experience of having breakfast was so magnificent??

Hotel Atlantis, Dubai

We drove through the tunnel and reached Hotel Atlantis. But you can also take the metro to the hotel. There are two Palm Jumeirah Monorail stations connecting the resort to the main section of the Palm Jumeirah islands. It is a resort and is located at the centre of the crescent of the Palm Jumeirah. Like its sister property in the Bahamas, Dubai's  Atlantis features two hotel towers linked by an arch. In total, the resort boasts 1,539 rooms and suites which faces to the sea. Offering something for everyone, this resort features “Aquaventure” – a 42-acre waterpark with the “Zigguret” Centerpiece that touts a 27.5 metre-vertical drop; “The Lost Chambers” – where you can journey through a labyrinth of chambers to experience its fascinating underwater world with over 65,000 fish, the 11-acre “Dolphin Bay” with its innovative Dolphin Education Centre, and the “Ambassador Lagoon” with 100’s of species of marine life. Everything you need is on-site. Its Spa and Fitness Center offers treatments from all over the world. Enjoy Atlantis’s Aquatic Gardens, or a day of windsurfing and kayaking from its Private Beach. Shop in the up-scale boutiques found in “The Avenues”, a 7500 sqm. retail and entertainment complex; or dance the night away in their ultra-chic nightclub, “Sanctuary”. Atlantis – The Palm offers an array of fun-filled activities for children of every age. Through nature and science, arts and crafts, and marine welfare, Atlantis–The Palm offers a series of educational programs for families to enjoy.  I was impressed by the magnanimity, grandeur and interior decoration of the hotel. The hotel also offers convenience to many of Dubai’s other Tourist Attractions. Guests can experience the Region’s largest Indoor Ski Resort, Ski Dubai, located in the Mall of the Emirates, or Dubai’s other waterpark, Wild Wadi in Jumeirah Beach. Other nearby sites to see are the Burj Al Arab, the world’s only 7 Star Hotel and the iconic structure that represents Dubai, Burj Khailfa, the world’s tallest building, and the famous Dubai Marina. Guests will find a vast array of shopping venues in the area. There is the popular Mall of the Emirates and for those looking for a more unique style of shopping, there is the Madinat Jumeirah offering Designer Boutiques in an Arabian Style Souk, and the Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world. With so much to do and see, guests of the Atlantis – The Palm will not want to leave this vacation paradise.

Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

Our next destination was the Palm Jumeirah. It is man-made island, created using land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government. It is one of three islands called The Palm Islands which extend into the Persian Gulf, increasing Dubai’s shoreline by a total of 520 km. The Palm Jumeirah is the smallest and the original of three Palm Islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira) under development by Nakheel. It is located on the Jumeirah coastal area of the emirate of Dubai. The Palm Jumeirah is in the shape of a palm tree. It consists of a trunk, a crown with 16 fronds, and a surrounding crescent island that forms an 11 kilometer long breakwater. The crown is connected to the mainland by a 300-metre bridge and the crescent is connected to the top of the palm by a subsea tunnel. When we drove through the tunnel, my only thought was, what man could achieve if he really wants. The Palm Jumeirah is an excellent example of this.

Many people around the world are buying expansive houses in these islands. It is primarily a retreat and residential area for living, relaxation, and leisure. It will contain themed boutique hotels, three types of villas (Signature Villas, Garden Homes, and Canal Cove Town Homes), shoreline apartment buildings, beaches, marinas, restaurants, cafes and a variety of retail outlets.

It is definitely one of the most ambitious and recognizable projects to date.

Mercato Mall- 1st themed Mall in Middle East

As we moved towards our next destination Mercato Mall, our travel agent informs us that Dubai can be divided into 3parts… Bur (dominated by Indians), Deira (famous for its Souq’s and dominated by Pakistani’s) and Burj ( where anyone can buy property). He also informs us that the DUBAI government planned three island residential area. Palm Deira, Palm Jabeel Ali and Palm Jumeirah. But due to financial crunches, they could complete only the Palm Jumeirah project. On our way to the Mall, he also showed us the Union House. It’s a government building where documents were signed in 1972 for the formation of UAE, uniting the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Ajman. Ras Al Khaimah joined later.
I was mesmerized as I entered Mercato Mall. I talked to the security officer, who was an Indian. He informed that this double storied mall is the first themed shopping mall in the Middle East and UAE, which brings together the choicest lifestyle offerings from the Mediterranean, in addition to many exclusive international brands. Based on a distinctive Renaissance architectural concept, Mercato captures Italian, French and Spanish flavours and artistic characteristics; playing host to regular fairs and festivals from each country. Famous Italian architect, Daniele Morelli, designed the interior of the mall to replicate the concept of several squares, the centre point of any Mediterranean town and the traditional location of the mercato or market. The imposing columns, distinctive flooring, and the ambience give it the Italian feel. The Mercato Mall was constructed through the inspiration of Abdul Rahim Mohammed Al Zaroonivillas. Later I came to know that Mercato means “market” in Italian.
There are a number of retail outlets which display art, antiques, shoes, fashion accessories and jewelry. Its comprehensive shopping and entertainment experience caters to residents and visitors of Dubai, who have an eye for quality. It houses a 12-screen Century cinemas. The retail outlets boast all the international brands. The famous supermarket “Spinney’s” too have their outlet here. Mercato Mall offers a casual shopping experience typical of the Italian style of shopping. The Mercato Mall is a paradise for shoppers. Apart from housing numerous retail stores, food courts, restaurants, and entertainment areas, the mall also offers special services like first aid, wheel chair, nursing room as well as public telephones. I had to change MEHR’S diaper, and was pleased by the facilities in the toilet.
The Mercato Mall is not a very big mall as compared to other modern multi-storied malls, but it could be termed as cozy. The Mall hosts special activities for children during the Summer Shopping Festival and the cinemas screen popular children’s movies with tickets priced at half the regular price, which includes popcorn and a cola. What attracted me the most was an artist who was painting very lovely pictures.
You can get practically everything here – you name it – antiques, jewelry, apparels, electronics, fashion accessories, souvenirs, and carpets. The best of Dubai’s restaurants are housed here and you can have the privilege of enjoying the local sumptuous food or the international cuisine here. Mercato is designed to be a prestigious shopping destination catering to quality-conscious residents and visitors to Dubai. Mercato provides more than just world famous brand names; it offers a comprehensive shopping and entertainment experience within an aesthetically stimulating ambience. It is simply, The Good Life.
Just opposite the Mall, our famous designer Manish Malhotra has his studio.

Jumeirah Mosque, Only Mosque In Dubai open to Non-Muslim

Our next destination was the Jumeirah Mosque, located in Dubai’s beachside area. It’s a dominant landmark of the city. Our agent informed us that the city has many fine mosques but this is the largest and one of the most beautiful. We got down from the car and took few pictures.Built in medieval Fatimid style in 1978, it is a beautiful white stone structure with towering twin minarets framing a large central dome. Its seashell-like finish and colouring fit perfectly with the mosque’s position opposite the white sands of Jumeirah Beach. It’s the only mosque in the country which is open to non-Musilm. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding organizes visits to the Jumeirah Mosque for non-Muslims, aimed at promoting cultural understanding and first-hand experience as an insight to the Islamic religion. Jumeirah Mosque Tour is conduct on every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10am, (children must be 5yrs+ )in the morning for the tourists and residents. We could not take part in the tour as MEHR was only 1year 4months then. Those interested gather outside the ornate Jumeirah Mosque for the conducted tour of the Mosque. Bookings are not required but visitors should arrive at least five minutes beforehand but latecomers are not permitted entry.